Daily Republican., 1887-06-14

We are born with facultie. and n

fHACIIOD AND HABIT.
We are born with faculties and DOW
ers, says one Of the most famous O
modern writers, capable almost Of
anything, such at least as would carry
Us farther than can be easily imagined
but 1t ID only the exercise of those
powers which gives Us ability and
skill In anything, and leads US toward
perfection.
A middle-aged man used all his life
to hard work will scarce ever be
brought to the carriage and language
OF courtier, though his body be as
well proportional, and his joints as
supple, and the natural parts no way
inferior.
The legs of q dancing master and
the fingers of musician fall, as il
were,. naturally, without thought or
pains, into regular and admirable mo.
lions. Bid them change their parts,
and they will in vain endeavor 10 pro.
duce like motions in the members not
used to them, and 1t will REQUIRE
length of time and long practice to
attain but some degrees of q like
ability. What incredible and aston
ishing action do we find rope dancers
and tumblers bring their bodies to!
Not but that sundry in almost all
manual arts are as wonderful: but we
name those that the world takes no
notice of for such, because, on that
very account, they give money to see
them. All these admired motions,
beyond the reach and almost the con-
ception of Impractical spectators, are
nothing but the mere effects OF use and
industry in men, whose bodies have
nothing peculiar in them from those of
the amazed lockers on.
As it is in the body, so 1t is In the
mind; practice makes it what it is, and
most even of those excellencies which
are looked on as natural endowments.
will be found, when examined into
more closely, to be the product OF ex-
ercise, and to be raised TO that pitch
only by repeated actions.
Some men are remarked for pleas
antness in ralliery, others for apollo.
CUES and opposite diverting stories.
This is apt to be taken for the effect OF
pure nature, and that the rather. be-
cause 1t is not got by rules. and those
who excel In either of them never
purposely set themselves to the study
of it as an art to be learnt.
But vet il Is true. that nj frat some
lucky hit which took with somebOdv.
and gained him commentator. en-
cOuraged him to try again. inclined
his thoughts and endeayors that wav.
till at last he insensibly got a facility
in it without perceiving how. and that
is attributed wholly to nature which
was much more the effect of use and
practice.
We cannot deny that natural dispo-
sition may often give the first rise to II:
out that never carries q man far with
out use and exercise, and it is practice
alone that brings the powers of the
mind as well as those of the bodv tn
their perfection.
Many a good poetic vein is buried
under trade, and never produces any,
thing for want of improvement. We
see the ways of discourse and reason
ing are very different, even concerning
the same matter. at court and in the
university. And he that will 90 but
from Congress to an Exchange will
find different genius and turn in
their ways Of talking, and oftentimes
acting, too.
To what purpose all this, but to
show that the difference, SO observ.
able in mems understandings and
parts, does not arise 80 much from
natural faculties as acquired habitsPHe
would be laughed at that should 90
about to make fine dancer ont of a
Woodworking laborer at past 80 And